Valeria Salas Montero (valsamo) is a visual artist graduated from the major of Arts and Visual Communication at the National University of Costa Rica. Her interests rely on the fusion between fiction filmmaking, documentaries, and experimental films.
She has developed a style that combines realism, with expressionism. For her, filmmaking has become a way of surviving and of understanding of her surroundings.
EDUCATION
National University of Costa Rica, Heredia 2017 – 2020
Honors Bachelors of Arts and Visual Communication (Cum Laude TFG special mention) 9.50 GPA
University of Costa Rica, Montes de Oca 2015-2019
(4th year/ paused ) Bachelor of English Teaching
Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest 2022-2024
MA Film studies with specialization in Filmmaking
Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holder
FILMOTECA COSTA RICA
2021: Full Workshop on Filmmaking and Documentary
by Gustavo Sánchez
2021: Full workshop on Filmmaking production
by Adriana Cordero
2020: Full Workshop on Contemporary Filmmaking
by Ishtar Yasín
2020: Full Workshop on Filmmaking
by Aarón Acuña
2020: Full Workshop on Scriptwriting
by Aarón Acuña
DELE FOCO ACADEMY
2019: Full Workshop on Filmmaking
by Antonio Yglesias
2018: Full workshop on ethics and aesthetics in documentary filmmaking by Leonardo Solano/University of Pittsburgh
2018: Full workshop on Latin American and contemporary documentary filmmaking by Leonardo Solano/ University of Pittsburgh
FILMMAKING EXPERIENCE
- Common Mirrors– Documentary /2021/ Director and Editor
International Film Festival of Costa Rica, Official Competition 2022.
- I have read and accepted terms of use – Short Film / 2022 / Director, writer, animator.
- Brújula en el viento – Music Video / 2021/ Director, Editor, Producer
- Smell of coconut and Jasmine – Short Film/ 2021/ Director, Editor, Writer, Producer
Screened on Shnit Festival and MCHPM Guatemala Spain - In Between Gray Hairs and Memories – Documentary/
2020 / Director of Photography - Tálamo-Short Film /2020 / Codirector, Cowriter, Audiovisual Coordinator, Script writer.
Golden price at Veracruz International Film Festival (Experimental shortfilm) - Artists want to make art no more -Short Documentary
Film /2020 /Director, Writer, Editor - Simple things – Feature Film / 2020 /BTS creator
- Doyenne – Feature Film / 2018-2019 / Graphic Designer
OTHER EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCES
– Substance Films 2022 (currently): Production and filmmaking Assistant
-TeleSur 2022: Camera Woman
-QUINCE UCR Channel 2022: Animation and graphic design
-ICECU 2022: Animation
-Luciana Ruiz Jewelry 2020 -2021: Creative, photographer and Community Manager
-National University of Costa Rica 2021: Visual communicator, graphic designer, audiovisual producer
– Refugee Education Trust (RET International) 2019 – 2021: Visual communicator
– University of Costa Rica’s Radio Stations 2018- 2020: Production, writer, journalist, designer.
-SYKES 2018: Customer Service